Hampshire Laminating Machinery LTD
HLM, an AeroThermal Group Company, is a well established name within the industry of pre-forming advanced materials.
Hot drape forming technology can be used for a variety of honeycomb bonding and de-bulking applications, so composite components can be partly cured prior to reaching any autoclave, meaning excess material can be minimised and process efficiencies enhanced.
Our hot drape former includes a vacuum bed located in the bottom of the machine and a diaphragm and heating medium located above.
The lay-up tool is simply placed on top of the vacuum bed and when the diaphragm is lowered to form a seal, the heater bank is initiated and the forming cycle begins.
After the material forming phase is completed and the heating and vacuum stopped, the upper section of the machine is opened and the tool or component easily removed.
Hot drape forming is a technique that can also be used for thin skin and sandwich laminate curing, making this system an extremely flexible manufacturing method.
Whether used as a standalone forming and curing system or in combination as a pre-forming stage prior to autoclaving, the hot drape process can be either an alternative curing system or become part of an integrated manufacturing package. In either case, AeroThermal Group’s expertise through engineering design, the application of applied thermodynamics, fabrication and manufacturing, can deliver a bespoke processing solution to specific customer requirements.
Key individuals from the management team are actively involved with the design and manufacture of the equipment and bring with them a wealth of experience from many years within the industry.